Wealth & financial wellbeing

2026 has kicked off at a whirlwind pace, with January delivering one major headline after another. In this article we explore the most significant stories, how markets reacted, and our outlook moving forward.

Infrastructure rarely makes headlines, but it quietly powers everyday life – from the electricity in our homes to the data centres behind AI and cloud computing.

Welcome to your quarterly investment update from atomos covering October to December 2025.

Global equity markets delivered positive returns over the fourth quarter of 2025, led by the US, UK and Japan.

Investors who stayed patient and remained invested through 2025 were generally rewarded. Despite a challenging start to the year and uncertainty around US trade policy, most major asset classes – including equities, bonds and alternatives - delivered positive returns.

2025 was a landmark year for markets. As we approach year-end, we take a closer look at the ten key stories that defined the year, from Trump’s tariffs and oil’s struggles to Nvidia’s milestones and record-breaking commodities.

This week the main focus in markets was the Federal Reserve’s (The Fed) interest rate decision. The US Central Bank cut interest rates for the third time this year, by 0.25%, taking its benchmark rate down to 3.50–3.75%.